Francisca "Franny" Ordega (born 19 October 1993) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays for Atlético Madrid in the Primera División on loan from Washington Spirit of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She represents Nigeria women's national football team (Super Falcons) at both the FIFA Women's World Cup and African Women's Championship.

Club informationCurrent teamAtlético Madrid (on loan from Washington Spirit)Senior career*YearsTeamApps(Gls)2008–2011Bayelsa Queens2011–2012Rivers Angels2012–2013Rossiyanka2013–2014Piteå IF 34 (4)2015–Washington Spirit 41 (9)2016–2017 → Sydney FC (loan) 6 (1)2017–2018 → Atlético Madrid (loan) 7 (0)National team‡Nigeria 26* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 23 January 2018‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 17 June 2015Playing career

ClubBayelsa QueensOrdega began her career at the youth level for Bayelsa Queens, before being promoted to the professional side in 2008 where she played at Nigerian Women's Championship.

Rivers AngelsIn 2011, she moved to Rivers Angels, one of the top clubs in Nigerian Women's Championship.

WFC RossiyankaIn 2012, Ordega left Nigeria to sign with Russian champions Rossiyanka of the Russian Women's Football Championship. In November 2012, it was announced that Ordega and Rossiyanka mutually parted ways.

Piteå IFIn 2013, Ordega signed for Piteå IF in the Swedish Damallsvenskan.[8] She scored her first goal on May 26, 2013 in a drawing effort against Vittsjö GIK.[9] Between 2013 and 2015, she made 34 appearances and score 4 goals during her time in Sweden.

Washington SpiritOrdega then moved across the North Atlantic and signed with Washington Spirit in the National Women's Soccer League. In her first season with the Spirit, Ordega scored three goals and made two assists. She returned in 2016 to score two goals during the regular season. The Nigerian's most memorable Spirit goal came in the NWSL Semifinal when she scored in extra time to send the Spirit to its first ever NWSL Championship.

In July 2017, Ordgea suffered a knee injury that would limit her minutes for the remainder of the season. Despite the injury, she would still earn 14 appearances and scoring 4 goals.

Loan to Sydney FCIn December 2016, Sydney FC signed Ordega on loan from Washington for the remainder of the 2016-17 W-League season. The loan made her the first African to play in the Australian W-League. Ordega would make six appearances and score once helping Sydney earn 3rd place in the league.

Loan to Atlético MadridOn 20 October 2017, Ordega joined Spanish club Atlético Madrid on a six-month loan from Washington. She made her debut on November 1, 2017 against Barcelona.

International career

Ordega represented the Nigeria women's national football team in all levels. With the under 17, she played the 2010 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup and with the under 20 at 2012 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. At senior level she played in the FIFA Women's World Cup tournaments of 2011 and 2015. At the latter she opened her World Cup account by scoring Nigeria's equalizing goal against Sweden on 8 June 2015 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The pulsating match ended 3–3 in the opening game of Group D.

She was also part of Nigeria's squads at the African Women's Championship of 2010 and 2014, winning both tournaments.

In 2018,She was also a member of the Nigerian squad who won the 2018 Africa Women Cup of Nations in Ghana, A tournament where she had two goals and two assists and won the woman of the match award at the final game against South Africa.

Thembi Kgatlana is a South African football forward. She plays for Houston Dash in the National Women's Soccer League and is a member of the South African national team and represented her country at the 2016 Summer Olympics and the 2018 Africa Women Cup of Nations where she won the player of the tournament and was the highest goal scorer.

Club informationCurrent teamHouston DashNumber 11Senior career*YearsTeamApps(Gls)University of the Western Cape2018–Houston Dash 16 (2)National team2016–South Africa 8 (0)* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 8 September 2018

Honours

IndividualAfrica Women Cup of Nations Best player and top-scorer 2018Cyprus Cup Best player 2018

is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays for Chinese side Dalian Quanjian F.C. in the Chinese Women's Super League as a forward. She was named best player and was the highest goal scorer at the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. She was also named best player and second top goalscorer with the Super Falcons team who won the 2014 African Women's Championship.

National team‡2011–Nigeria 17HonoursWomen's FootballRepresenting NigeriaAfrican Championships2014 NamibiaNigeria* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 17:41, 29 December 2017 (UTC)‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 18:00, 17 June 2015 (UTC)Club careerEdit

On 23 January 2015, Oshoala joined Liverpool Ladies. Liverpool manager, Matt Beard called her "one of the best young players in the world". Although rumours had linked her with other clubs, she was very happy to join Liverpool.

Oshoala missed two months of the 2015 season with a knee injury, as defending champions Liverpool finished seventh of eight teams. In January 2016 Liverpool reported that a transfer bid from Arsenal Ladies had activated the release clause in Oshoala's contract and that she was discussing personal terms with the London club.

On 10 February 2017, Chinese club Dalian Quanjian F.C. officially signed Oshoala.

International career

Oshoala found success as a forward for Nigeria's youth teams but made most of her early appearances for the senior national team as an attacking midfielder. She was nicknamed "Seedorf" after male footballer Clarence Seedorf and has also been referred to as "Superzee" by her teammates.

She was named best player and with seven goals was also the top goal scorer at the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. She was also named best player and second top goalscorer with the Super Falcons team who won the 2014 African Women's Championship. She also won the BBC Women's Footballer of the Year 2015.

In September 2014 Oshoala was made a Member of the Order of the Niger by President of Nigeria Goodluck Jonathan. On 8 June 2015 in Winnipeg, Canada, Oshoala opened her senior FIFA Women's World Cup account by scoring Nigeria's second goal in a 3–3 draw with Sweden. Oshoala was also a member of the Super Falcons team who won the African Women's Championship in 2016 and 2018. She scored three goals in the 2018 Edition in Ghana.

African Women Footballer of the Year, an annual award for Africa's best female football player. It is awarded by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in December each year. Nigerian Perpetua Nkwocha won the award a record four times. The award was given out for the first time in 2001.

The 2019 CAF award is slated for the Senegalese capital, Dakar, and will have three presidents in attendance.

As is usually the case, the host nation’s president in this case Macky Sall is an invited guest but two other African leaders are expected to join the ‘party’ – Rwanda’s Paul Kagame and Liberia’s George Manneh Weah.

The 25-year-old Nigerian striker conceded that she did not expect making the final cut for the Africa Women Player of the Year awardNigeria striker Francisca Ordega admits she did not see her shortlist for the Africa Women Player of the Year 2018 award coming.

Ordega, Asisat Oshoala and South Africa striker Thembi Kgatlana made the top three and the Washington Spirit star is hoping to be crowned at Caf's awards in Dakar on January 8.

Ordega scored three goals and was named in the United States' NWSL Team of the Month for April before she netted twice and won two woman-of-the-match awards as the Super Falcons retained the African crown in Ghana.

"I am delighted and feel happy to make the top three for the (Africa Women Player of the Year) award," Ordega told Goal."I honestly didn't see that coming since I was on the reserve and could not make the tournament's best XI. I was even shocked to make the earlier 11-player shortlist for the award.“Though lot of people keep telling me that I could be in the final three, I refused to believe. I felt I ought to have been on the first XI of the competition to have a chance for the final three.

n I started receiving calls that I made it, which I still couldn't believe until I had to go check for myself and found out it was true. I'm still surprised as this means a lot to me because when one grows as a player, It is expected that one improves too with age.

“After my league season in the U.S., I felt I needed to keep training well, push myself and bring my experience of playing in America for four years to bear in order to help my country qualify for this year's Women's World Cup in France. Glad it turned out well."On her chances of pipping Oshoala and Kgatlana to the coveted prize, the 25-year-old believes that it will be too close to call, but she is definitely not ruling out herself."We [I, Oshoala and Kgatlana] are all winners, good and talented players. Whosoever wins, deserve to win. That is life. It is a very tight competition and we have our differences," she continued."Oshoala won two trophies [Chinese Women Super League and Super Cup] with her club [Dalian Quanjian], even though she didn't do that much at the African Women Cup of Nations, but she won the trophy with me."The South African girl [Kagtlana] won the most valuable player of the Awcon tournament and also the top scorer, while I [Ordega] had a not-too-season with my club, but scored three goals."At the Awcon, I did well in terms of performance, but I didn't score much goals. I am not expecting to win it but if it eventually comes to me, that will be great. But whoever wins, it's her luck and I will celebrate with her," she concluded.

In 2018,She was also a member of the Nigerian squad who won the 2018 Africa Women Cup of Nations in Ghana, A tournament where she had two goals and two assists and won the woman of the match award at the final game against South Africa

Ordega should win it. But kgatalana is good and shone throughout the tournament. I think ordega did shine in few games. I think Kgatalana should win it , too. Oshoala is out of it - it's between ordega and kgatalana.

African Women Footballer of the Year, an annual award for Africa's best female football player. It is awarded by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in December each year. Nigerian Perpetua Nkwocha won the award a record four times. The award was given out for the first time in 2001.